Squats Aren’t Just for Leg Strength
By Bob Takano
Why Full Squats Matter More Than You Think
Many people aren't aware of the benefits of full squats. Many newcomers and even some lifters who have been competing for a while don't really realize the benefits of full squats for improving anabolic metabolism and developing overall strength in the body.
Leg Strength and the Clean
Most lifters are just concerned with leg strength when it comes to dealing with recovering from the dead position in the clean, and certainly it's true. If you don't have enough leg strength, the recovery is going to be a real grinder. For a lot of people, that means they won't have as much leg strength to drive the jerk overhead.
The second area where people begin to realize the value of great leg strength is during the first pull. If you don't have strong enough legs, it's quite common to throw the work onto the hips, and so the hips will rise faster than the shoulders.
The third point to consider is whether or not you have enough leg drive to propel the bar overhead during the jerk drive.
